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1.06.2009

war resister update: matt lowell, kim rivera

I've just learned that war resister Matt Lowell has been granted leave to appeal in the negative decision on his Humanitarian & Compassionate application. Matt's lawyer, Alyssa Manning, will argue his case before the court in mid-March. If Matt and Alyssa win, Matt will be able to file a new H&C application.

Many thanks to Alyssa, who labours tirelessly on behalf of the war resisters, and David Heap, friend of wmtc, coordinator of the London War Resister Support Group, where Matt lives in London, Ontario.

We continue to win in the courts! Unfortunately, the Immigration and Refugee Board has been less promising.

Tomorrow morning, I'll join a small contingent of campaigners as we accompany war resister (and my dear friend) Kimberly Rivera, her husband Mario, their son Christian (age 6), daughter Rebecca (age 4), and daughter Katie (age 5 weeks), to the Immigration and Refugee Centre, where they will receive the final decision in their H&C and PRRA. We are hoping for the best, but expecting the worst.

"The worst" in this case means a deportation order. It would be nice to think that the Government of Canada will not toss a new mother and her children out of the country, a woman who has done nothing wrong, and who simply wants to live in peace. But based on what the IRB has told other resisters, including those with children, it is unlikely.

The Harper Government will probably send the Riveras back to the US, where Kim faces court martial and prison.

Is Kim also a client of Ms. Alyssa Manning? Anyway, could anybody enlighten me about the legal options she would still have if the IRB turned her down today, I mean, whether she could appeal her case to court?

Cornelia, yes, Alyssa also represents Kim. She will first try to get a stay of deportation, then ask the court for leave to appeal. We have been having positive decisions from the court, so that gives us a lot of hope.

Thanks so much, Laura! I really appreciate it. It's really relieving to know that Alyssa has still some legal options open and that the so far experiences with the court in question have been quite good!

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You may never know what results come of your action, but if you do nothing, there will be no result.Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi

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From each according to his ability, to each according to his need.Karl Marx

There is a tendency to think that what we see in the present moment will continue. We forget how often we have been astonished by the sudden crumbling of institutions, by extraordinary changes in people's thoughts, by unexpected eruptions of rebellion against tyrannies, by the quick collapse of systems of power that seemed invincible.Howard Zinn